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enAdvocates thank governors for cutting pollution, urge continued actionhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/advocates-thank-governors-cutting-pollution-urge-continued-action
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p dir="ltr">Officials and stakeholders from nine northeastern states gathered on Monday, September 25 in Baltimore, Maryland to discuss <a href="http://www.rggi.org/docs/ProgramReview/2017/08-23-17/Announcement_Proposed_Program_Changes.pdf" data-cke-saved-href="http://www.rggi.org/docs/ProgramReview/2017/08-23-17/Announcement_Proposed_Program_Changes.pdf">a new plan</a> to cut pollution from power plants another 30 percent by 2030. The proposal will improve the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), building on its success by further limiting pollution and investing more in energy efficiency and renewable energy. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The states’ plan stands in stark contrast to actions by the Trump Administration to let polluters off the hook and weaken core national environmental laws. The nine participating states are: Maryland, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Five of the states are led by Republican governors, and four by Democrats. <strong id="docs-internal-guid-d88c4437-ba12-ce3c-a9fa-1bdd9fa21819">Heath</strong>er <strong>Leibowitz</strong>, Director of Environment New York, offered the following statement:</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:12:34 +0000hleibowitz53486 at http://environmentnewyork.orgLess Shelter from the Stormhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/less-shelter-storm
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>After Hurricanes Harvey and Irma recently pummeled our coasts, Environment New York warned that pending budget proposals from the Trump administration and Congress threaten key programs that protect our communities from storm- related impacts. The group documented threats to programs that prevent or curb flooding, sewage overflows and leaks from toxic waste sites. Environment New York also called for preventing more global warming-fueled extreme weather in the future.</p>
<p>“We believe in protecting our wetlands as they improve water quality, assist in flood control, provide habitat for birds and fish and only add to the recreational activities available to residents and visitors alike,” said Mayor Kelly B. Decker of Port Jervis, N.Y., in Rep. Maloney’s district.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“If there is any lesson to be learned from these devastating hurricanes, it’s that New York deserves better shelter from the storms,” said Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York. “Rather than protecting our most vulnerable communities, budget proposals on the table in Washington, D.C. right now threaten coastal resiliency, remove protections for flood-absorbing wetlands, neglect funding for stormwater and sewage treatment, and expose more Americans to toxic chemicals,” Leibowitz added.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 20 Sep 2017 18:49:46 +0000hleibowitz53376 at http://environmentnewyork.orgMayor DeBlasio cuts pollution through improved building efficiencyhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/mayor-deblasio-cuts-pollution-through-improved-building-efficiency
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Today, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio <a href="http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/587-17/mayor-de-blasio-nyc-will-be-first-city-mandate-existing-buildings-dramatically-cut">announced new policies</a> that will require building owners to sharply cut emissions of the pollution that causes global warming. The policies will require the 14,500 least efficient buildings in the city to upgrade their energy performance by 2030. These buildings are responsible for almost a quarter of the city’s climate-changing pollution. The city calls it “the most ambitious program of its kind in the nation.” Heather Leibowitz, State Director of Environment New York, issued the following statement praising the step forward:</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 14 Sep 2017 17:31:22 +0000hleibowitz53036 at http://environmentnewyork.orgSTATEMENT SUPPORTING HISTORIC PROPOSAL TO PROTECT DELAWARE RIVERhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/statement-supporting-historic-proposal-protect-delaware-river
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p dir="ltr">Today, the regional multi-state agency (the Delaware River Basin Commission, DRBC) charged with preserving and restoring the Delaware River, its tributaries and watershed made a historic announcement for protecting this important local waterway by proposing to ban the oil and gas drilling practice known as “fracking” within the Delaware River Basin.</p>
<p>“Expanding and implementing this ban on fracking and fracking activities is crucial for the residents of New York,” stated Heather Leibowitz Director of Environment New York. “Millions of New Yorkers rely on the Delaware River for our drinking water supply—we have to guarantee that we protect this source water from the pollution threats posed by fracking, and today’s announcement is a crucial step forward in ensuring that guarantee.”</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 14 Sep 2017 16:45:13 +0000hleibowitz53031 at http://environmentnewyork.orgNew “back to school” item for parents: toolkit to 'Get the Lead Out of schools’ drinking waterhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/new-%E2%80%9Cback-school%E2%80%9D-item-parents-toolkit-get-lead-out-schools%E2%80%99-drinking-water
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>With “back to school” in full swing this week, Environment New York today offered a new <a href="http://environmentnewyork.org/reports/nye/“back-school”-toolkit" target="_blank" data-cke-saved-href="http://environmentnewyork.org/reports/nye/“back-school”-toolkit">toolkit </a>to help parents, teachers, and administrators Get the Lead Out of schools’ drinking water. Citing a lack of accurate information on lead contamination in water and how schools should prevent it, Environment New York is encouraging parents and teachers to put the new <a href="http://environmentnewyork.org/reports/nye/“back-school”-toolkit" target="_blank" data-cke-saved-href="http://environmentnewyork.org/reports/nye/“back-school”-toolkit">toolkit</a> on their “back to school” reading list. </p>
<p>“Our kids deserve safe drinking water at school,” said Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York. “We want to give parents, teachers, and school administrators the tools they need to ‘get the lead out.’” </p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 05 Sep 2017 16:47:21 +0000hleibowitz52851 at http://environmentnewyork.orgPollution would get worse for Delaware River with budget cuts, new report says http://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/pollution-would-get-worse-delaware-river-budget-cuts-new-report-says
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Proposed cuts to EPA clean water programs would halt progress on addressing local pollution in the Delaware River, according to a new <a href="http://environmentnewyork.org/reports/nye/rough-waters-ahead">report </a>released today. With a deadline for Congress to approve a federal budget fast approaching, Environment New York is calling for full funding of EPA to protect the Delaware River and other New York waterways. “With progress in cleaning up the Delaware River, New Yorkers have just enjoyed a summer of fishing and swimming,” said Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York. “Cutting EPA’s clean water programs would put that progress at risk.”</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 31 Aug 2017 15:34:09 +0000hleibowitz52796 at http://environmentnewyork.orgNew York proposes new regional limit on global warming pollution, but more ambition neededhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/new-york-proposes-new-regional-limit-global-warming-pollution-more-ambition-needed
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Today, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rggi.org/docs/ProgramReview/2017/08-23-17/Announcement_Proposed_Program_Changes.pdf">announced a proposal</a>&nbsp;to cut power plant pollution by at least 30 percent from 2020 to 2030. The proposal would strengthen what is already the best regional clean air and climate protection program in the country, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This program limits dangerous pollution from power plants in&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and across the region – helping to slow the warming of our planet and clean up our air. It also fuels investment in clean energy by making polluters pay to pollute.&nbsp;Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York,&nbsp;issued the following statement in response:</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 23 Aug 2017 22:27:51 +0000hleibowitz52651 at http://environmentnewyork.orgAnalysis: Repealing the Clean Water Rule would be Devastating for the Great Lakes basinhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/analysis-repealing-clean-water-rule-would-be-devastating-great-lakes-basin
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>New analysis by Environment New York shows 53% of all stream miles in the Great Lakes basin will be left without federal protections by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt’s proposal to repeal the Clean Water Rule. The Clean Water Rule restored federal protections to half our nation’s streams and thousands of wetlands across the country. This includes more than 5,728 miles of intermittent, ephemeral or headwater streams that feed into drinking water systems in New York State.</p>
<p>“Repealing the Clean Water Rule would be devastating to the Great Lakes basin. Instead of safeguarding our drinking water, Administrator Pruitt is proposing to stop protecting drinking water sources for 1 in 3 Americans, including over 11 million New Yorkers. It defies common sense, sound science and the will of the American people,” said Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York.</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 03 Aug 2017 20:31:26 +0000hleibowitz52526 at http://environmentnewyork.orgTen Years of Progress Positions New York to Take Renewable Energy to the Next Levelhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/ten-years-progress-positions-new-york-take-renewable-energy-next-level
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Since 2007, New York has seen a 6,548% increase in the amount of electricity it gets from the sun and a 473% increase in wind power production, according to a <a href="http://environmentnewyork.org/sites/environment/files/reports/NYE%20Renewables%20on%20the%20Rise%20July%2017.pdf">new report </a>released today by Environment New York Research &amp; Policy Center. The report also highlights advances in the use of energy storage and electric vehicles that will help catalyze the clean energy revolution in New York. At the same time, New York ranked 9th for improvements in electricity energy efficiency programs. “Every day, we see more evidence that an economy powered by renewable energy is within our reach,” said Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York. “The progress we’ve made in the last decade on renewable energy and technologies like battery storage and electric cars should give New Yorkers the confidence that we can take clean energy to the next level.”</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 25 Jul 2017 21:11:21 +0000hleibowitz52366 at http://environmentnewyork.org“This loophole not only threatens our drinking water but also sets a dangerous precedent for the functioning of our democracy,” Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New Yorkhttp://environmentnewyork.org/news/nye/%E2%80%9C-loophole-not-only-threatens-our-drinking-water-also-sets-dangerous-precedent-functioning
<div class="field field-name-field-shared-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Today, the House of Representatives is considering a “minibus” spending package that would allow the Trump administration to ignore the law as it rolls back clean water protections. The bill also contains other anti-environmental provisions and would drastically cut federal funding for clean energy. Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York, issued the following statement:</p>
<p>“Americans deserve clean water, yet a loophole in this spending bill not only threatens our drinking water but also sets a dangerous precedent for the functioning of our<strong> </strong>democracy. </p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 26 Jul 2017 18:59:49 +0000hleibowitz52426 at http://environmentnewyork.org